Draft gear



Feeb. 13, 1934. A QELKERS 1,947,056

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Feb. 13, 1934. A. H. oELKERs DRAFT GEAR Filed Jan. 21, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 mm NN Q m% i Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATE-TFFE DRAFT GEAR Application January 21,

9 Claims.

lproved draft gear and means for mounting the draft gear, which ishighly eiiicient in operation, is of greater simplicity in construction,is stronger and is adapted for attachment with the conventional type ofAmerican railway car.

This invention is an improvement on the type of draft gear disclosed inthe applicants United States Patent No. 1,644,658, patented October 4th,1927, and embodies certain improvements thereover, making for simplicityin construction and cheapness in manufacturing cost and maintenance.

The present invention differs from the patented invention inconstruction, in the provision of a unitary, integral element adapted tobe secured between the standard American Railway Association centersills and having as an integral part thereof, the several elementsassociated with the draft gear proper, to form a complete operativerigging.

This element may be of any construction but is preferably a casting ofgeneral U-shape construction comprising the center plate reinforcement;the buff and draft follower abutments and guiding bearing surfaces forthe draft gear yoke all formed as a unitary, integral structure.

The invention further contemplates embodying the features of the wedgingportion of the gear as shown in the patent referred to with a draft gearyoke pivotally connected with a coupler yoke, while providing means forguiding the draft gear yoke for movement in a longitudinal directiononly.

The integral casting above referred to, also constitutes a reinforcementfor the web portions of the center sills, particularly around themargins of the opening through which the wedge blocks extend and alsosupporting surfaces for the wedge and yoke portions of the draft gear.

The device further embodies means constituting bearing surfaces betweenthe yoke, and wedges and the stopabutments of such construction that alarger bearing surface is provided to take the buiiing loads than thesurface taking the loads of draft.

The present invention is illustrated as embodied in a construction whichseeks to retain the general dimensions of the car construction developedas standard, by the American Railway Association as relates to spacing,size and design o-f the center sills, the position of the bolster inrelation to the end of the car, the design and dimensions of the carcoupler and the position and attachment of the coupler to the draft gearyoke.

Under these conditions, the construction provides a draft gear extendingthrough and mount- 1929. serial No. 333,757

ed in openings, cut through the webs of the center sills, the unitarycasting above referred to providing the usual center sill ller at thebody bolster of the car or center plate reinforcement with the twoforwardly extending arms forming reinforcements around the openings inthe webs of the center sills providing abutment stops for both buff anddraft, and supporting bearing surfaces for the wedge and yoke elementsand guiding bearing surfaces for the draft gear yoke.

In the present illustration, the yoverall length of the frictionmechanism of the draft gear is somewhat less than the conventionalstandard length and thereby permits the combination of a special couplerattachment in the form of a pivoted yoke; the pivot of which is placedbetween the draft gear and the butt end of the standard coupler.

The detailed description hereinafter given is merely of one illustrativeembodiment of the present invention and is not to be construed aslimiting the invention, but the nature and scope of the invention are tobe determined by an understanding of the present disclosure and with theknowledge that it is merely one embodiment and with the fullappreciation of the advantages that the present invention produces inthis particular illustrative form.

In addition to the above stated objects, it is an object of thisinvention to provide other features and advantages not enumerated anddetailed irnprovements which will readily appear to one skilled in theart as the description proceeds.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanyingdrawings, in which;

Figure l is a plan view in cross section of a draft appliance includingcenter sills and draft gear constructed in accordance with the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation in cross section, of the construction shownin Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view partly in cross section, of the unitary elementadapted for attachment between the center sills.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of Figure 3, as seen from the right.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional elevation taken on the line 5 5, of Figure3, looking in the direction of ythe arrows.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional elevation taken on the line 6 6, of Figure7, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a central longitudinal section, of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the pivotally connected draft gear andcoupler yokes, and

Figure 9 is a plan View of the construction shown in Figure 8.

By referring to the drawings, it will be noted Yso CTL'

The inner ange portions at the end of the cen' ter sills are cut away asat 13, to provide sufficient clearance for the introduction of the partswhen the draft gear is assembled.

Mounted between the center sills is the unitary integral elementdisclosed in Figure 3, designated in its entirety as 14 and comprisingthe center plate reinforcement 15, at one end and the forwardlyextending arms, 16, each of which is provided with openings 17,extending therethrough. The vertical walls of the element 14, areprovided with holes, 18, for receiving rivets 18 or similar means,whereby the element is secured to the vertical webs of the center sillsand holes 19, serving as means for securing with rivets, 19 to theflange of the center sills. This manner of attachment is important,because the construction illustrated permits a transmission of the bufngand draft shocks to both portions of the center sill, that is, to thevertical web and to the flange which makes for considerable additionalstrength, eliminating all tendency for buckling of the center sill webs.

Formed as an integral part of the element 14, are the forward abutments20, reinforced as by anges 21, which abutnients are rounded as shown inFigure 7, and adapted to serve as abutment seats for the forwardlongitudinal wedge in draft. At the opposite end of the opening, theabutments 22, having vertical faces and the abutments 23, having curvedfaces are provided for cooperation with the opposite longitudinal wedgeunder conditions of buff. These latter abutments are reinforced by thereinforcing webs 24 and the intermediate horizontal web 25, of thecenter plate reinforcement of center sill filler, the latter of which isof the usual construction.

Adjacent the inner end of the opening 17, at the top and bottom of botharms 16, that is on both sides of the construction, are provided lugs26, the opposed edges of which are adapted to contact portions of thedraft gear yoke and serve as guide bearings therefor. The space betweenthese opposed surfaces, is substantially that of the width of theportion of the draft gear yoke occupying the space between thesesurfaces in operation so that the bearing surfaces serve to guide thedraft gear yoke for movement in a longitudinal direction only.

Similarly, at the opposite end of the opening 17, bearing surfaces 27are provided on the opposed surfaces of the top and bottom reinforcingflanges 21, which anges are slightly modified to present a suitableguiding bearing surface for engagement with the forward end of the draftgear yoke. Likewise, these bearing surfaces 27, are so spaced as toguide the yoke for longitudinal movement only.

These guiding surfaces supplied by the four rearward and the fourforward lugs, maintain the draft gear yoke against any displacement suchas would be detrimental in operation, causing damage or wear due to theapplication of buff or draft forces to the device, as when the coupleris disposed at an angle to the longitudinal center of the car at thetime of application of force. The lower surfaces 28, of the openings 17,constitute supporting bearing surfaces for the wedge elements of thedraft gear.

The wedging mechanism comprises longitudinal wedges 29 and 30 andtransverse wedges :3l-31. These wedges are constructed and arranged insubstantially the same manner as set forth in the applicants patentabove referred to, except insofar as said features hereinafter describedwhich more readily adapt the wedge elements to the present construction.

The vertical wedge 29 is provided as at 32, with an abutment having avertical face adapted to cooperate with the vertical face 22 on theelement 14, whereas the outer portion, namely face 33, is of circularcontour so as to cooperate with the round face 23 of the element 14. Atthe intermediate portion of its back surface, a depression 34, isprovided, adapted to cooperate with and form a seat for the draft gearyoke 35.

The transverse wedges 31-31, are provided with central openings, 36, andare positioned on a transverse bolt 37, equipped with springs 38 and 39in engagement with the plate 40, thereof. The springs are retained inposition by means of the Washers 41 and nuts 42, which in addition,permit an adjustment of the tension of the springs.

This assembly operates to normally maintain the transverse wedges in amaximum inward position or in such position that their inner ends are incontact with the frictional faces 43 and 44 of the transverse andlongitudinal wedges in engagement. This arrangement causes thelongitudinal wedges to be normally urged in their maximum separatedposition, or in other words, separated until their back portions are inintimate engagement with the buff and draft abutments. It will be notedthat the outer longitudinal wedge 30, is provided as at 45, with arounded abutment constructed for engagement with the rounded abutmentstop 20, provided on the integrally formed element 14. The draft gearyoke is more clearly shown in Figures 8 and 9 and is of particularconstruction, having at its forward end, the laterally extendingportions 46, provided with bearing surfaces 47 extending vertically andadapted to contact the bearing surfaces 27.

The side surfaces 48 of the yoke proper, constitute means for engagementwith the bearing surfaces on the lugs 26 which serve to guide the yokefor longitudinal movement only, in the above described manner.

The forward end of the draft gear yoke isy provided with a transverseweb 49, having the concave cylindrical surface 50 and the upper andlower extensions 51 provided with bearing openings 52. This constitutesa portion of the pivot connection between the draft gear yoke of thedraft gear yoke has a projecting portion 58 thereon adapted to bereceived in the depression 59, in the longitudinal wedge 30. This issimilar to the depression 34 which receives the opposite end of thedraft gear yoke 35 and serves to maintain the draft gear yoke and thewedge shocks occasioned in buff operation which are '1' greater in areathan those surfaces provided for receiving the draft loads. It will benoted that those portions of the back surface of each of thelongitudinal wedges 29 and 30 which lie between the center sills,constitute bearing surfaces and that in both cases, they are limited inwidth, to the distance between the center sills and are consequentlyequal but that in the case of the inner longitudinal wedge 29, arelatively small portion of this surface is in engagement with the draftgear yoke 35, whereas a relatively large portion is in contact with theabutment surfaces 22 and 23. On the contrary, at the forward end,namely, on the longitudinal wedge 30, a relatively large portion is incontact with the draft gear yoke 35 and a relatively small portion inengagement with the abutment surfaces 20. This is why the forward end ofthe yoke is wider than the inner extremity. It is found in operation,that the buiiing loads are greatly in excess of the loads occasioned indraft and consequently the draft gear contemplated in this invention isconstructed to include suitable bearing surfaces for properly handlingthis condition.

'I'he coupler yoke is provided with slots 60, through its arms forconnecting the coupler yoke to the coupler shank 6l, by means of the key62. The key has its ends extended projecting through opening 63 in thewebs of the side sills whereby this part of the draft rigging issupported by the key. The key is free to slide longitudinally on thelower edge of the opening as a bearing surface.

Preferably the weight of the mechanism is supported on the surface 6e ofthe striking plate casting 65, secured in the end of the center sill.The extensions of this casting extend backwardly as shown in Figure land are provided with openings 66, having the lower bearing surfaces 64as described.

From the above it will be noted that this invention provides a highlyefficient and novel form of draft gear, embodying all of the abovestated advantages.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not to beconsidered as limiting the invention in any respect but that the scopeof the invention is to be determined from the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a draft rigging, the combination of center sills, a draftappliance therebetween, said appliance including a plurality of frictionelements, a yoke associated with said elements, certain of said elementsbeing formed with stepped portions engaged by said yoke, and meansassociated with said sills and engageable with said yoke for maintainingsaid elements against lateral displacement.

2. In a draft rigging, the combination of center sills, a draftappliance therebetween, said appliance including a plurality of frictionelements, a yoke having spaced strap members for embracing certain ofsaid elements, certain of said elements being formed with steppedportions engaged by said yoke, and means associated with said sills andengageable with the straps of said yoke for guiding the same and tomaintain said elements against lateral displacement.

S. In a draft rigging, the combination of draft sills, a draft appliancetherebetween, said appliance including a plurality of friction elements,a yoke associated with said elements, said yoke and certain of saidelements being interlocked to prevent relative lateral movement, andmeans associated with said sills and engageable with said yoke formaintaining said elements against lateral displacement.

4. In a draft rigging, the combination of draft sills, a draft appliancetherebetween, said appliance including a plurality of friction elements,a yoke having spaced strap members for embracing certain of saidelements, said yoke and certain of said elements being interlocked toprevent reiative lateral movement, and means associated with said sillsand engageable with the straps of said yoke for guiding the same and tomaintain said elements against lateral displacement.

5. In a draft rigging, the combination of draft sills, a draft appliancetherebetween, said appliance including a draft gea-r, a yoke associatedwith said draft gear, said yoke and draft ge r eing interlocked toprevent relative lateral movement, and means associated with said sillsand engageable with yoke for maintaining said draft gear against lateraldisplacement.

6. In a draft rigging, the combination of draft sills, a draft appliancetherebetween, said appliance including a draft gear, a yoke associatedwith said draft gear, said yoke and draft gear being interlocked toprevent relative lateral movement when in normal operating position,means associated with said sills and engageable with said yoke formaintaining said draft gear against lateral displacement when in normaloperating position, and means for guiding said yoke during movement ofan end of said yoke away from said draft gear either in buff or draft.

7. In a draft rigging, the combination of draft sills, a draft appliancetherebetween, said appliance including a draft gear, a yoke associatedwith said draft gear, said yoke and draft gear bein interlocked toprevent relative lateral movement, and means for maintaining said draftgear against lateral displacement, said means including members securedto said sills and having inwardly disposed flanges engageable with saidyoke.

8. In a draft rigging, the combination of slotted draft sills, a draftappliance therebetween, said appliance including a draft gear extendingthrough and beyond said slots and comprising cooperating frictionelements, said yoke and certain of said elements being interlocked toprevent relative lateral movement, and means associated with said sillsand engageable with said yoke for maintaining said elements in operativeposition in said slots and preventing lateral displacement of said gearwithin said slots.

9. In a draft rigging, the combination of slotted draft sills, a draftappliance therebetwee said appliance including a draft gear extendingthrough and beyond said slots and comprising friction elements, saidyoke and certain of said elements being interlccked to prevent relativelateral movement, and means for maintaining said draft gear againstlateral dispiacement and 31 v for guiding said yoke, said mea-nsincluding members secured to said sills and having slots substantiallycoextensive with the slots of said sills, said slots being defined byinwardly extending flanges providing stops for said friction elementsand being engageable with said yoke to prevent lateral movement thereofand for guiding the saine during operative movements.

ALFRED H. OELKERS.

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